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BULLETIN 


OF THE 


American School of Home Economics 
PUBLISHED QUARTERLY AND ENTERED -AT CHICAGO AS SECOND- 


CLASS MATTER, UNDER ACT OF CONGRESS OF JULY 16, 1894 


Seriss | SEPTEMBER, 1908 No. 11 


THE UP-TO-DATE HOME 


MONEY AND LABOR 
SAVING APPLIANCES 


CHICAGO 
606 WEST SIXTY-NINTH STREET 
ILLINOIS 


NEW ENGLAND KITCHEN OF THE OLDEN TIME 


THE UP-TO-DATE HOME 


LABOR AND MONEY-SAVING APPLIANCES 


HE up-to-date home is manifestly one which is managed by 
an up-to-date home-maker. While the average home of to- 
day in point of convenience is a great advance over that of 

our grandmothers’ time, housekeeping in general is, undeniably, a 
belated industry. As stated in the preface of the Library of Home 
Economics, “It is realized that the business of housekeeping has 
not kept pace with the tremendous advancement in other lines of 
human endeavor, that the wonderful discoveries in science and 
developments in the arts only slowly and partially have been applied 
to the problems of personal health and home life.”’ It is the purpose 
of the home-study courses of this School, which are now embodied 
in‘the Library, to enable home-makers to become up to date in 
their own homes. As one of our students expresses it, ““ Many of us 
have missed knowing of the great strides that systematized knowl- 
edge dealing with home-making has made in the last ten years. 
Such knowledge is rapidly creeping into schools and colleges, but 
too late for us — and we don’t want to be left behind by school 
girls.” 

The books contain about 3,000 pages, and although to get three 
meals a day and keep things clean seems a simple matter, the new 
“Profession of Home-Making” is a rather inclusive subject, which 
cannot well be condensed further without sacrificing completeness. 
All twelve of the volumes are concerned chiefly with the saving of 
money and labor, except for the even more important problems of 
healthful living and the care and training of children. There are 
other good books — our Circulating Library Department contains 
about four hundred, but the Library of Home Economics is the 
only attempt to cover the whole subject of up-to-date home-making 
in a systematic way. 

It is the purpose of this bulletin to describe only a few of the 
household appliances recently put on the market. ‘The point of 
view is that of the comfortable American home such as is described 
in Volume I, The House, Its Plan, Decoration, and Care. ‘This 
house would have modern plumbing, lighting, and heating systems, 
as described in detail in Volume III, Household Hygiene. 


3 


The house itself is the greatest factor. We do not always 
realize to what extent the average American home is superior to 
that of any other country in convenience and in the saving of labor. 
Even the ordinary kitchen range is by no means common in Eng- 
land, and the high cost of fuel in some European countries makes 
it necessary to depend upon public ovens to a considerable extent. 
This, however, may simplify housekeeping, as more food prepared 
outside the home is used. 


UBRABY LIBRARY 
VHOME  vHOME 
ECONGRES fconoMEG E 


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THE LIBRARY OF HOME ECONOMICS 


The farm home may now have nearly all modern conveniences 
at moderate expense. Farmers’ Bulletin No. 270, Modern Con- 
veniences for the Farm Home, gives general estimates of cost of such 
important conveniences as running water and simple sewerage 
systems. ‘There is a suggestive article on the subject in the Report 
of the Illinois Domestic Science Association for 1907. The Health- 
ful Farmhouse tells how an inconvenient farmhouse was converted 
into a convenient, attractive home at small expense. 


HOUSEHOLD APPLIANCES 
The advisability of purchasing certain utensils is discussed in 


Volume VII, Household Management, pages 102-113 and page 195, 
but it may be well to consider a few general principles here. 


4 


Any household appliance should save more time and labor than 
it takes to adjust it and clean it after use. There is doubtful 
economy in using a meat grinder in making hash for two. An 
appliance should be used sufficiently often to save more time and 
trouble than it gives. A special turkey roaster used only two or 
three times a year is not a profitable investment; when storage 
space is limited, its room is worth more than its company. Many 
utensils and appliances which prove excellent investments in a 
large family are not so in a small family—the greater the number 
the greater is the utility of labor-saving appliances. ‘The purchase 
of eny utensil should be made to fill real want and not because of 
the ,alluring advertisements or fascinating demonstrations. Ap- 
pliances should simplify, not complicate, but it must be remembered 
that it usually takes more skill, more brain work to use any appliance 
successfully than to continue with old-time methods. The auto- 
matic home is not a future possibility. 


Household appliances have been invented in nearly all cases 
by men to sell. Many of them are worse than useless, but more are 
excellent in their right place. As time goes on, family living will 
rely more and more on labor-saving household appliances. ‘The 
manufacturer and farmer cannot afford to be without the latest and 
best labor-saving devices. Competition and the high cost of labor 
forces this condition. Outside household labor is also expensive 
and hard to obtain, but as there is no money value placed on the 
housekeeper’s time, many women drudge along with no conveniences 
and broken-down, worn-out appliances. ‘The initial expense often 
prevents the purchase of appliances for the household, but one that 
is really needed should be considered as an investment. The 
manufacturer charges the cost of a new machine to “plant” and 
distributes the expense along a term of years, as interest and depre- 
ciation. ‘The same view should be taken of an investment for 
household appliances. For example, the expense of a washing 
machine costing $10.00, which might be expected to last for ten 
years, should be reckoned as interest on the investment, say 60 cents 
a year, and 10 per cent for depreciation, or $1.00, so that the yearly 
cost might be properly considered to be $1.60. In whatever way 
the expense may be considered, a convenience or appliance which 
saves the homekeeper laborious work or gives time for out-of-door 
life and recreation is a better investment than doctor’s bills and rest 
cures. 


KITCHEN APPLIANCES 


The greater part of the work of the household still centers in the 
kitchen in the preparation of the food and the washing of the dishes. 


Fireless Cookers 


A Norwegian cooking box is illustrated on page 13 of Principles 
of Cookery, and in the supplement in the same volume, page 152, 
an extract is given from the consular report which stimulated all 
the present interest in fireless cooking. Full directions are given 
also for making and using a fireless cooker. 

The principle of operation of these cookers is an old one. It is 
simply to retain the heat in the food itself and in the water, obtained 
by the preliminary boiling. Cooking operations use little or no 
heat in the sense that heat is used in raising the temperature of 
water or in keeping it boiling, so that if the heat can be prevented 
from escaping, the changes of cooking will take place without the 
addition of more heat. As stated on page 13, Chemistry of the 
Household, ‘Water has a much greater capacity for absorbing heat 
than any other common substance. For example, one pound of 
water will absorb ten times as much heat in being raised one degree 
Fahrenheit as one pound of iron.” Elsewhere in this volume and 
in Principles of Cookery, cooking below the boiling point is recom- 
mended, especially for tough meat and eggs. Starch begins to 
cook at 150°-185° F. In the experiments made by Miss Sprague, 
described in the Bulletin, “A Precise Method of Roasting Beef,” 
it was found that the interior of a “‘rare”’ roast reaches only 148° F., 
and a well-done roast 174° F. The coagulating temperature of 
proteid is about 170° F. Consequently it is apparent that nearly 
all cooking may be done at a less temperature than the boiling point 
of water, 212° F. Of course it requires the high temperature of the 
oven or griddle to produce the flavor and brown crust of bread, 
cake, and meat. Not everything can be cooked satisfactorily in the 
fireless cookstove — only the things that are usually cooked in 
water. However, some of the manufacturers now furnish their 
cookers with metal or soapstone plates which may be heated to'a 
high temperature so that baking can be done in them. 

It is especially important that the vessels used be tightly covered, 
for water as steam or vapor carries away a large quantity of heat as 
latent heat. (See Chemistry of the Household, pages 12, 138, and 
152.) Naturally, the greater quantity of boiling water, the more 


6 


heat there.is to be retained and the longer the heat is kept up to the 
cooking temperature. ‘The preliminary boiling must be continued 
sufficiently long for the food to be heated through, otherwise the 
cooler interior of the food will reduce the temperature of the water 
below the cooking point. ‘The time required varies from about five 
minutes, for small vegetables and grains, to half an hour or longer, 
for a ham or large piece of meat. It is sometimes advisable to 
reheat to the boiling temperature, three or four hours after the first 
heating, when very long cooking is required. If there is consid- 
erable water present, foods will remain sufficiently hot for serving 
in five to eight hours. When food is left in the cooker over night, 
it is usually necessary to reheat before serving. 


COOKERETTE NO. 1 
Contains 9-quart Granite Kettle, 3-quart Dish and Ware Basket 
Price, $3,95 


In some experiments made by Miss Bertha M. Terrill on ‘fire- 
less cooking at the University of Chicago, it was found that the gas 
consumption for the preliminary boiling was as follows: 


Oatmeal 2 cups Ete Oi: £ cu. ft. 
Beets 6 Lia It ent 
Stew (lamb) 2 \bs. bs a es 
Ham ast ous ae ae 


Further experiments showed that the “simmering” temperature 
could be kept up with a consumption of about 2 cu. ft. of gas per 
hour. For “just boiling” from 3 to 4 cu. ft. per hour was required. 
These figures allow an estimate to be made of the saving in fuel by 
the use of a fireless cooker. For example, the 5 lb. ham cooked 
entirely on the gas stove would require 2 cu. ft. of gas to heat the 
water and boil it 30 minutes, and about 6 cu. ft. to boil it slowly 


is 


for two hours — total 8 cu. ft. Cooked with the aid of the fireless 
cooker, the gas consumption would be 2 cu. ft., or only one-fourth 
as much. 

To boil the lamb stew 15 minutes and keep it at simmering tem- 
perature an hour would require 3 cu. ft. of gas; cooked in the fire- 
less cooker, 1 cu. ft., or one-third. These figures represent the 
minimum saying, with gas used carefully. 
In the same series of experiments, it was 
found that the double burner of the gas 
stove turned on full consumed gas at about 
the rate of 30 cu. ft. per hour, and the inner 
jet at 17 cu. ft. per hour. As the gas is 
often left turned on full when cooking, the 
saving in most cases would probably be 
more than two-thirds or three-fourths. 

The great advantages of fireless cook- 
ing are the saving of time and attention, 
prevention of over-cooking and burning, 
and hot foods ready when wanted. ‘The 


D 
Te 


Cooker of ‘ Indurated 
Fiber.” Contains 8-quart : 
pail and 2quart dish. disadvantages are that the cooking has to 


Price, $6.50 
ee be started two or three hours before the 


foods are served, so that more forethought is needed. 


There are a great many of these fireless cookers now on the 
market, as may be noted from the advertisements in the magazines. 
They give a little better results than home-made cookers, because of 
better construction, better packing material, and especially adapted 
utensils. ‘The heat insulating mate- 
rial most commonly used is_ hair 
felt, granulated cork, and the waste 
from the manufacture of sponges. 
Because of their compactness, the 
factory-made cookers are more con- 
venient than home-made cookers. 


The insulation will keep out heat 
as well as retain it and so the cookers 
may be used as ice-cream freezers. 

The most common style is the 
bench type with two or three com- 
partments. ‘The “Hallock” and the 
F en Hot Dinner Pail. ‘‘Indurated 

Caloric” cookers are examples Fiber.” Price, $3.00 


8 


of this type. The other type is cylindrical with vessels placed 
one on top of another and usually made entirely of metal. 
Representatives of this type are -the “Cookerette,” the “Seely 
Cooker,” and that made by the Republic Metal Ware Company. 
The U.S. Cooker is made of “indurated fiber” — papier-maché,— 
the container being solid and made entirely of this material. 


Home-Made Fireless Cookers 


A fireless cooker which will save time and fuel may be improvised 
‘at home without difficulty. A deep box with cover, or a small 
trunk, may be used and for packing, any non-conducting material 


HALLOCK FIRELESS COOKER 
Two 9-quart Pails and 4-quart Dish of Enameled Ware ; Wire Basket 
Price, $9.00 


will serve, such as fine hay, excelsior, feathers, sawdust, or even 
crumpled newspaper. It is best, as described by Miss Barrows, in 
Principles of Cookery, to use bags or pillow ticks for holding the 
packing material. 


An excellent cooker may be-made very easily from a sugar 
barrel and excelsior. ‘They have been made in a number of domes- 
tic science schools and are used for cooking all hams, tongues, etc., 
and for making soup stock for the lunch rooms at Chautauqua. 

After loosening clean excelsior, pack about eight inches firmly 
in the bottom of the barrel. Place a fifteen to twenty quart pail in 
the center and pack excelsior very firmly all around, even with the 
top. A sack of bed ticking filled with excelsior or other material 
to place over the top completes the cooker. ‘The excelsior mats so 
well that the pail may be removed a large number of times and 
replaced without the necessity of repacking. 

The pail should have a tight cover— 
the tighter the better. One or two shallow 
dishes with or without covers could be 
placed in the larger pail, supported by a 
wire stand, so that the cooker could be 
used for several things at the same time. 
il | A flour barrel would serve equally well 
| ee ||| \)) for making a smaller cooker containing 
(Cerra) a, ten or twelve quart pail. 

One of our students reports making a 

very successful cooker in a corner of the 
in rm window box in her kitchen. All fireless 
“IDEAL” STEAM cookers must be. opened for airing and 


COOKER No. 40. : 3 
Price, $6.65 drying, otherwise they become musty. 


Steam Cookers 


A good steam cooker is a useful appliance, especially after one 
gets into the habit of using it. Both the cylindrical type and the 
square type with doors are illustrated in Principles of Cookery. 
Tests made with one of the square cookers — the Ideal — showed 
that fuel economy with gas amounted to about one-third, in com- 
parison to using separate dishes for the things cooked. There 
would have been a greater saving but for the fact that about one- 
fifth more time is required to cook by steam than by boiling 
in water. 

A very ingenious appliance is the Culver Steam Cooker. It is 
of the cylindrical type and has an outside reservoir which contains 
the reserve water supply, which is fed in automatically as needed. 
There is a water-sealed cover and the steam passes down an outside 


10 


tube and bubbles up through the water reservoir in plain sight. 
As the rate of operation can be seen by the number of bubbles 
appearing, the gas consumption can be regulated to anicety. It 
was found that with a gas consumption of only three feet an hour, 
the cooker could be operated successfully. The reserve supply 
of water enables this cooker to be run for four or five hours without 
attention, or even over night, if run very slowly. 


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CULVER STEAM COOKER 


W, Boiling water, 2 cups; R, Reservoir; A, Water seal for cover; I,!Tube for 
steam which bubbles up through water in R.OPrice, $4. 50 


Steam cooking is particularly good for sweet-flavored vegetables, 
tough meat, fish, and so on. The advantages of steam cooking 
are that there is no danger of burning, fuel economy, and long, 
thorough cooking. Meats shrink in volume much less than when 
boiled or roasted. ‘The juices extracted in steaming meat, chicken, 
and fish make especially delicious broths. 


11 


‘The Buffalo Steam Cereal Cooker is an excellent appliance. 
It is made in aluminum as well as in tin and has an egg poacher 
arrangement and other devices. 


Small Ovens 


Fuel ecouomy is discussed in the supplement of Principles of 
Cookery and the comparative value of fuels is given in Chemistry 
of the Household, page 28. The Fireless Cooker and Steam 
Cooker are both fuel savers. ‘There remains to be mentioned a 
small portable oven, like 
the “Lady Elgin Oven,” 
for use on top of gas, gaso- 
line, or aleohol stove. When 
there is much baking to be 
done there is no economy 
in using such small ovens 
rather than the large oven 
of the gas stove, but for 
baking one or two dishes 
only, there is considerable 
fuel economy. 

With this anil oven 
the gas consumption for 
baking pan of muffins was 
1 cu. ft. for heating the 
oven, and 8 cu. ft. for bak- 
LADY ELGIN OVEN ing twenty minutes. With 


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1, Inside measure, 12x12 inches. Price, $1.50° gas at $1.00 per thousand 


cu. ft. the cost was 0.4 cents. 

The gas consumed in the large oven of the gas stove was 4 cu. ft. 

for heating the oven, and 73 cu. ft. for baking twenty minutes. With 
gas at the same price, the cost was 1.15 cents or nearly three times 
as much as in the small oven. A chemical thermometer can easily 


be inserted through the top of these 
sheet iron ovens and the _ tem- 
perature can be regulated so that 
the tendencies of these small ovens 
to burn can be overcome. 


Bread Toasters 


The saving of gas by using one a 
of the small bread toasters rather Gas Bread Toaster. Price, 25 cts. 


12 


than the oven or broiler of the gas stove is considerable, and 
the toast is more quickly made and better. The coffee may be 
boiled on the top while toasting bread. 


EFFICIENCY IN HEATING WATER WITH GAS 


Some very interesting experiments have been made by Pro- 
fessor Judson C. Dickerman, of the University of Wisconsin, on the 
efficiency in the use of gas for heating water. The full result may 
be published in a bulletin of the University. He has kindly con- 
sented to give us some of the preliminary figures. 

The experiments were made by heating two pounds of water 
to 200° F. in covered dishes of various sizes and materials and meas- 
uring the gas consumed. Knowing the heat units of the gas and 
the amount of heat required to raise the temperature of the water, 
the percentage of heat produced which was communicated to the 
water was easily calculated. ‘The following are some of the results: 


EFFICIENCY IN Heating WATER 


Burner Tin Dish Aluminum Blue Enamel White Enamel 
64m. Diam. 641n. Diam. 6% in. Diam. 11 in. Diam. 
5} in. Diam., 28.2% 30.1% 29.7% 40.5% 
32 in. Diam., BEDS es, RUA se nS eae ays ahe 45.5% 
Banseti burner ie. ot Se ee 88.3% 52.0% 


In these experiments the gas was burned in the 54-inch burner 
at the rate of 22 feet per hour; in the 3#-inch burner at the rate 
of 18.5 feet per hour, and in the Bunsen burner at the rate of 
16 feet per hour. ‘This was with the gas turned on full (but not 
with the flame streaming around the sides of the dish). When 
the flame was turned down about one-half and the water heated 
more slowly, it was found that the efficiency in all cases was some- 
what less. 

It is apparent that the material of which the utensil is con- 
structed made very little difference in these experiments. One 
would suppose that the tin and aluminum dishes would give some- 
what higher efficiency than the enameled ware, but this did not 
seem to be the case. It was found that an old rusty dish, and one 
that was somewhat coated with the deposit from hard water, gave 
about the same results as a clean dish. Using a new, bright tin 
dish, the efficiency was somewhat less than when the bottom 
became colored by the flame. Leaving off the cover of the dish 
decreased the efficiency about 10 per cent. 


13 


The determining factor seemed to be the relation of the diameter 
of the flame to that of the dish — the greater the diameter of the 
dish in comparison to that of the gas burner the higher the efficiency. 
This suggests that it costs less to heat the water for dish washing 
in a covered dish pan than in the tea kettle; that it is more econom- 
ical to use the small single burners on the gas stove than the wide 
double burner. It would reduce gas consumption if gas stoves 
were made with two or three small, straight tube burners like the 
‘““simmerer”’ burner, instead of one. ‘The wide type of burners are 
used so that the heat will not be concentrated in one spot, which 


AN INSTANTANEOUS HOT WATER HEATER 


would give a tendency to burn foods, and also that the dish may be 
placed near the burner. The common type of “mushroom” 
burners, constructed so as to spread the flame, such as are com- 
monly used in cooking school laboratories, are not as economical 
as a plain Bunsen burner. 

Varying the mixture of gas and air at the burner seems to have 
no apparent effect on the efficiency. 

Other experiments were made in heating water with the “Cres- 
cent” Instantaneous Water Heater, in which the products of com- 
bustion come in contact with the water. It was found that\‘the 
efficiency varied between 75 per cent and 90 per cent.” * With<this 
heater there was found to be as much as 2.5 per cent of poisonous 
carbon monoxide found in the flue gases when"the water was run 


14 


through the heater rapidly, so that such heaters should always be 
connected with a flue to the outside. 

Tests made on the “Vulcan” Water Heater, in which the gas 
does not come in contact with the water — the type used in connec- 
tion with the reservoir for hot water system -— gave a heating 
efficiency of about 65 per cent. This indicates that it is cheaper 
to obtain hot water for bathing, laundry work, or cleaning, in a 
special appliance when gas is used. - 


ALCOHOL AS FUEL 


At the time of the passage of the denatured* alcohol bill by 
Congress great things were predicted of it for use as fuel and in 
lighting, but at present “industrial alcohol’’ costs about 65 cents 
a gallon in small quantities and 50 cents a gallon by the barrel. As 
alcohol (94 per cent) has only about two-thirds the fuel value of 
gasoline by volume, and as it requires eight gallons of alcohol to 
equal 1,000 cubic feet of illuminating gas in heating power, it can- 
not at present be considered an economical fuel. 

However, many homes do not have gas. Alcohol is more 
pleasant to handle and safer than gasoline, so that alcohol stoves 
may be used to advantage for “light housekeeping.’”’ In an article 
published in Harper’s Weekly, October 3, 1908, Mr. Charles Bar- 
nard states that all the cooking for a family of three was done 
with an average of one gallon of alcohol per week. This was with 
the help of a steam cooker and fireless cooker. 

No doubt the price of industrial alcohol will be reduced ma- 
terially in the course of afew years. It is said to be sold in 
Germany for as low as 25 cents a gallon. There is an interesting 
U.S. Department of Agriculture Bulletin on Industrial Alcohol. 

The one burner alcohol stoves with reservoir cost from $3.50 
to $5.00, depending on the finish. They are convenient to use 
on the breakfast table for making coffee, toast, cooking eggs, and 
the like. 

The two burner stoves cost from $7.00 to $10.00. ‘These burn 
a mixture of alcohol vapor and air, and give a better heating 
efficiency than a wick burner. 

Lamps are now offered for burning alcohol. They have an 
incandescent mantle and give a brilliant light. 


* Denatured or industrial alcohol is ordinary grain alcoho] rendered unfit for 
drinking by the addition of about 10% of wood alcohol and 4% benzine. 


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ELECTRIC COOKING 


Much more can be said of the convenience and cleanliness of 
electrical cooking than of its economy. In some places a special 
low rate is made when the electric current is used for cooking and 
other purposes than lighting. When the electricity can be sold 
for 5 cents per k. w. (kilowatt = 1,000 watts) the cooking may all 
be done with electricity at reasonable expense, but even then the 
cost is higher than with gas at $1.00 per 1,000 feet. At the higher 


GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY’S ULENSILS 


Chafing Dish, two heats,\taking 220 or 575 watts per hour. Price about $9.00 
Coffee Percolator, 300 watts. Price, about $10.00 


lighting rate, utensils which are used for a short time only, as the 
electric chafing dish and coffee perole ths may be used at small 
expense. 

The most prominent manufacturers of houselold cooking and 
heating appliances are the General Electric Co., Schenectady, 
N. Y., and the Simplex Electric Heating Co., Cambridge, Mass., and 
Chicago. The former makes utensils with the heating unit as a 
part of the utensil; the latter, for the most part, uses electric stoves 
and especially adapted utensils. The first method gives a some- 
what higher heating efficiency, the second more flexibility, as 
several utensils can be used with the same stove. The prices are 
about the same. The larger electric appliances have two or three 
“heats,” controlled by the switch. For example, the General 
Electric Co. oven takes 550 or 1100 or 2200 watts per hour, 
according to the heat desired. 


17 


Electrical appliances can be purchased to the best advantage 
through the local electric light company, as they are interested in 
increasing the use of electric current and sometimes sell appliances 
at little above the cost to them. An electric range complete with 


ELECTRIC COOKING RANGE 
Simplex Electric Heating Co. Price, $100 


oven, broiler, chafing dish, double boiler, kettle, and so on, costs 
about $100. 
KITCHEN UTENSILS 


Among the many newer kitchen utensils, two stand prominently 
of approved value — the bread mixer and food grinder (chopper). 

We have tested the Universal Bread Mixer and have a number 
of favorable reports from our members on this particular make 
and on others. ‘The general concensus of opinion is that the bread 
mixer saves time and labor and is more sanitary, because the hands 
are kept out of the bread; it is easily cleaned and_the results are 
as good and more certain than when the bread is made entirely by 
hand. If home-made bread is used the greater part of the time, 
a bread mixer is a good investment. ~ 

For some things the food chopper does not give quite as good 


18 


Potato and Vegetable Press 


Slaw Cutter, knife adjustable to 
cut fine or coarse, 


a 


Meat Chopper 


A FEW KITCHEN UTENSILS 


19 


results as the old-fashioned chopping bowl and chopper, as the food 
is sometimes apt to be crushed badly. This is often the case if the 


USEFUL COOKING UTENSILS 


machine is adjusted to make too fine a cut. ‘There is not much to 
choose between the various makes, the Universal, Enterprise, 
Simmons, etc. All are fairly easily cleaned and have several 
knives for cutting to different degrees of fineness. The Rollman 
Manufacturing Co. make a food chopper, the container of which 
opens, making it especially easy to clean. The ‘“Steinfeld’’ 
Chopper contains no knives, but the cutter is adjustable. A food 
chopper costs $1.00 for size sufficiently large for an ordinary 
family, and the next size larger usually sells for $1.25. 


Noli, 
(uNVERse : I, 7 
BREAD MAK 


SS mu mal i 
al om zx 


Universal Bread Mixer, No. 4, Clamped to the Table. Price $2.00 
20 


Aluminum Utensils 


Aluminum has many advantages for kitchen utensils — it is 
light in weight, not affected by acids, and forms no poisonous salts. 
It is a rather soft metal and should not be scoured with sand soap, 
or other rough material; it is ruined by being boiled with soda. 

The price of aluminum utensils has dropped steadily, so that 
those made from sheet aluminum are scarcely more expensive than a 
good grade of enamel ware. Utensils of cast aluminum are some- 
what more expensive but ‘they are more long lived. Unfortunately 


CAST ALUMINUM MUFFIN DISHES 
Semi-spherical in shape—easily cleaned 


the manufacturers do not take pains to finish the inside of the 
utensils like coffee pots and tea kettles as carefully as they should. 
While the outside is brilliantly polished, the inside is often rough 
and difficult to keep clean. ‘This is one great tendency of manu- 
facturers — things are made to sell, and much expense is put on 
making utensils attractive to the eye, while the use to which the 
appliance is to be put and ease of cleaning are often lost sight of. 
Reform will take place the moment there is an intelligent demand 
for something better. Any “town dump” gives eloquent testi- 
mony of the amount of money invested in poor cooking utensils. 


THERMOMETERS 


The use of thermometers in cooking is spoken of in a number 
of the lessons, and one of our bulletins states that a thermometer 
registering to 280° F. can be furnished by the School for 50 cents 


21 


and a chemical thermometer registering to 600° or 700° F for $1.50. 
The 50 cent thermometer is similar to a dairy or bath thermometer, 
that is, made entirely of glass, with a large hollow stem so that 
it will float in water. The degrees are marked on a paper scale 
inside the tube. This style of thermometer is not sufficiently 
accurate for exact scientific work, but is near enough to being 


E 


COOKING THERMOMETERS 


A, Floating Thermometer; B, Chemical; C, Oven (Price, $1.00) ; D, Oven, folding 
into base (Price, $2.00) ; E, Oven Door “Thermostat” 


correct for use in pasteurizing milk, taking the temperature of 
bread dough, candy making, and rough experimental work. They 
will stand fairly rough usage. ‘This style of thermometer can be 
furnished marked with both Centigrade and Fahrenheit scale at 
the same price — 50 cents, but these register only to 240° F. 

The chemical thermometers have a solid stem with the degrees 
engraved in the glass. ‘They are accurate, but must be treated 
with some care. 

There is also an oven thermometer registering to 600° F. on a 
small metal stand. It is made to stand or hang inside the oven, 
and so can be seen only when the oven door is open. 

The up-to-date gas or coal range has a heat indicator in the 
oven door. Some of these do not work well; others are fairly 
accurate. A good oven “thermostat” registering degrees on the 
dial costs about $1.50. If no place has been left in the oven door 
for a thermostat, it will cost perhaps $2.00 more to have it put in 
and adjusted. 

22 


The oven thermometer permitting of most accurate work is 
that in the illustration, taken from Principles of Cookery. A 
small hole is punched or drilled in the top of the portable oven, 
the chemical thermometer registering to 600° or 700° F. is wrapped 
with a little sheet asbestos and wire, and inserted in the hole. 
The mercury bulb should extend about two inches into the oven. 
As the stem is outside the oven, the temperature inside can be 
told at all times. 

The same arrangement can be made in the oven of a gas range 
when the oven is above the top of the stove, and even if it is below, 


THE MOST ACCURATE OVEN THERMOMETER 


though in this case, the stem of the thermometer extends up through 
the burners and so is more liable to get broken. If the hole for 
the thermometer is made by a stove man or machinist, it would 
be best to have a short tube put in the hole with the edges bent 
over into a flange, to keep it in place. 

While it is true that the experienced cook knows when the oven 
is “about right”’ for baking various dishes, even he sometimes 
does not have “good luck.”” ‘The up-to-date cook needs to elim- 
inate luck. Given the same materials and the same conditions, 
results will always be the same. ‘The use of thermometers in 


23 


< 


cookery is a step in the direction of truly scientific “cooking. 
_ We have endeavored to find the temperatures which teachers 
of cookery recommend, without much success. Conditions vary 
so much that it is difficult to give definite figures. ‘The temper- 
ature registered at the oven door will be less than that given by a 
thermometer in the top of the oven, and this less than the tempera- 
ture of the lower part of the oven. Again, the size of the roast and 
the size and shape of the dish make a difference in the correct 
temperature to be used. All foods are poor conductors of heat 
and it requires considerable time for the heat to penetrate, so that 
lower temperatures must be used for large roasts and dishes than 
for small quantities, to avoid burning the outside before the in- 
terior is done. 

The following temperatures are taken from Selection and 
Preparation of Food — Bevier and Van Meter. We have changed 
the readings from Centigrade to Fahrenheit. 

Oven ‘TEMPERATURES 


Enter at Keep at 
Roast Beef 480° F. 375° F. 
Fish 520 390 
Bread 410 375 
From teachers. 
Roasting Meat 480°R 350°F 
Bread 400 400 
Popovers 480 470 
Muffins, Cookies, Puff Pastry 450 450 
Plain Cake 380 380 
a . 400 400 
Sponge Cake 350 350 
Ks 300 Increase, then lower. 
Baked Custard 350 (In water — higher). 
Frying — TEMPERATURE OF THE Far. 
Doughs — uncooked food 340°F. 
Croquettes — cooked food 360 


These temperatures are higher than those used in large ovens. 

The boiling point of the syrup in candy making has been accu- 
rately determined by candy manufacturers. 

For home-made butter scotch, toffee, and the like 270° F is used. 

Miss Snow at the University of Chicago has made some careful 
experiments on the best boiling point of the syrups in jelly making. 
This was found to be from 103%° to 1044° C (219°-220° F). A 
tested thermometer must be used, as a small variation makes a good 
deal ‘of difference here, while a few’degrees one way or the other 
in baking does not affect the results. 


24 


DISH WASHING MACHINES 


Dish washing machines for hotels and large establishments 
are spoken of and illustrated in Chemistry of the Household. We 
have found two machines on the market for household use which 
we have investigated somewhat. ‘These are the “Mound City Dish 
Washer,” (price $4.50) and that made by the Pierce Manufactur- 
ing Co., Chicago, (price $12.00). The former we have heard fairly 
well recommended, and also condemned as “more bother than it 
is worth.” We have seen the latter ““demonstrated” and it seems 
to be constructed on right principles. The dishes are packed in 
the basket and the revolving of the water wheel at the ends throws 
hot, soapy water over them while they are at rest. Two or three 
gallons of boiling water are used. ‘The dishes are rinsed in the 
machine by sprinkling with: the hot water from a watering can 
from a special nozzle connected with the hot water system. They 
drain dry if hot water is used. We learn from the manufacturers 
that housekeepers will not use sufficiently hot water, and that they 
have stopped manufacturing the dish washer. 


A Home-Made Dish Washer for 55 Cents 


Not being able to find a satisfactory dish washer at small price, 
we combined several ideas found in Chemistry of the Household 
and made one of our own. It has been tested 
for over a year by several “maids-of-all-work,”’ 
by a mother-in-law, and a mother. and found 
by all to be a success! It keeps the hands out 
of the water, saves time and dish towels, does 
not take up extra room, is no trouble to keep 
clean, and only costs 55 cents, provided you Frying Basket 
have two dish pans and a dish drainer. ER De pad 

We first used the method recommended in Chemistry of the 
Household of having one dish pan for washing and a second pan 
for rinsing. It was found a most uncomfortable job to fish out 
the dishes from the hot rinsing water, so we set about finding 
something to obviate this. Finally we found at a department 
store a large-sized wire basket for frying croquettes, which cost 
40 cents, and a long-handled bristle brush costing 15 cents. 

Having the dishes carefully scraped or rinsed, the two dish 
pans two-thirds full of very hot water, and a liberal supply of soap 
in the washing water, the method is as follows: Place the wire 


25 


basket'in the washing pan and wash each plate, say, with the brush 
as it goes into the water and basket; continue till all the dishes of 
a size are washed and in the basket; lift the basket containing the 
dishes out of the water by the handle, tip a little to drain; put all 
into the rinsing water for a moment; lift by the handle; tip to 
drain a second; then place the dishes on the dish drainer. If 
plenty of soap has been used in the wash water and the water in 
both pans is steaming hot, the dishes will drain perfectly dry and 
require no wiping whatever, except perhaps a touch of the towel 
if there happens to be a drop of water on the edge of a dish. 


IMPROVED DISH DRAINERS 
Made by the Wire Goods Co., Worcester, Mass. 


The dishes must be washed clean, for a greasy dish will not 
drain well. It is best to wipe the silver and glasses with a towel. 
China having decorations in gilt will not bear very hot water or 
much soap, and should not be washed as described. 

A circular or folding dish drainer, like the ones illustrated, are 
better to use than the ordinary rectangular ones, although they will 
do. 


26 


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A TWO-STORY KITCHEN TABLE ON ROLLERS 


Made from an Old Fashioned Wash Stand with Zine Covered Top and 
Hooks for Utensils 


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AYGANO VT OLYLOLTA NV 


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LAUNDRY APPLIANCES 


The next home industry which will be relegated to the factory, 
in the city at least, is doubtless the laundry work. Even now the 
flat work — bedding, towels, table linen—can be done more 
cheaply in the public laundries than at home. Rates are made 
as low as $1.00 per 100 pieces. Some discrimination must be 
exercised in selecting a laundryman. Not all laundries use caustic 
alkali and bleaching powder. It is a good idea to visit one’s 
laundry. Some laundries make a low rate on “rough dry” work, 
charging by the pound. 


The ‘Wet Wash ”’ 


One of our students living near Boston has written us the fol- 
lowing account of the “wet wash” laundry: “The whole family 
wash is collected in a strong box which holds about a bushel and a 
half of clothing. The box may be packed as tightly as possible. 
At the laundry, the clothing is sorted into white clothes, colored 
clothing, and flannels. The white clothing of each family is put 
into a compartment of a washing machine in which all-white clothing 
is being washed. ‘The same is done with the colored clothing. 
The flannels are sometimes washed by hand and sometimes by 
machinery. In one laundry visited, the clothing was washed in 
seven different waters, beginning with soapy water and going on 
to rinsing and bluing waters. When the clothing is taken out 
of the compartment, it is put into bags and the bags into the cen- 
trifugal extractor, which in revolving rapidly throws out the water. 
The clothes are shaken out and delivered damp, in proper condition 
for immediate ironing. Some prefer to hang the clothes out on a 
line and dry them in the air, afterwards dampening for ironing as 
usual.” ‘The most attractive part of the arrangement is the price — 
50 cents for the whole family washing. We have not heard of the 
“wet wash”’ laundry in any other part of the country. No laundry 
in Chicago makes such an arrangement. Ask your laundryman 
about it. 

If time and money are an object, a considerable saving of both 
may be effected by leaving many things unironed — as Turkish 
towels, knit underwear, stockings, cotton flannel night gowns, 
children’s bibs, uapkins and pe ae sheets even, and 
counterpanes. 


29 


A WINDOW CUPBOARD 
From the Cornell Reading Course for Farmers’ Wives 


WASHING MACHINES 


Recently a magazine which has a large country circulation in 
the Middle West sent out a question sheet to their subscribers. 
Among other things was asked if the subscriber used a washing 
machine, and the make. Of 8,000 who replied over half reported 
the use of some washing machine; there were 214 different kinds 
mentioned. This would indicate that washing machines are 
used quite generally in the country and that there was no lack of 
variety. 


B 
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ROTARY TYPE OF WASHER 
Piston Water Motor Attached 


A dozen or more different kinds of washing machines may be 
seen in any department store, and usually hardware and general 
merchandise stores have two or three kinds on sale. 

The most common type is the “rotary” washer — a wooden 
tub on legs with the bottom larger than the top. The bottom and 
sides are corrugated. ‘There is a shaft in the center, at the bottom 
of which is a wooden disc with four prongs — the so-called “milk- 
stool’”’ arrangement. ‘This presses against the clothes, and by 
the mechanism on top is twisted half way or more around in one 
direction, then reversed and turned the other way. The clothes 
move at the same time and rub against the corrugated bottom and 
sides. When the motion is reversed, the water has a tendency 
to force through the clothes. 


31 


The mechanism for making this twisting motion and the re- 
verse constitutes the variety in this type of washing machine, the 
most common method being by means of a crank on a fly wheel. 
This type of machine costs from $4.50 to $8.00. 

The “Syracuse Easy” machine is an adaptation of the old- 
fashioned pounding barrel for washing clothes. ‘There is a cone- 
shaped plunger which is moved up and down in the galvanized iron 
tub, and so forces and draws the water through the clothes. 

The makers of this machine have an attachment for “set tubs” 
working on the same principles. It is rather slow in its action. 


Hand Machine Electric Machine 


PARAGON WASHING MACHINES 
Cylinder type, all metal, sheet iron galvanized 


Another manufactures a cone-shaped arrangement on the énd 
of a stick. It keeps the hands out of the water and is used in any 
wash tub or pail. It costs $2.50 made entirely of copper. 

Then there is the type of machine half cylinder in shape, with 
a rocking motion of the half circle framework of slats which rubs 
and squeezes the clothes. 

The steam laundries use cylinder machines, one cylinder inside 
the other, the inside cylinder being perforated or being made of 
slats of wood. ‘The revolving of the inside cylinder lifts the clothes 
up and drops them back into the hot, soapy water. ‘There are two 
or three different makes of household machines made on this prin- 
ciple. They cost $10.00 or $12.00. 

Running a hand machine is a good deal easier than scrubbing 
on a washboard; moreover, boy or man power may be used. 


32 


A number of washing machines are made to run by power. The 
simplest arrangement is a piston water motor, which gives simply 


a forward and back motion and is applied 
directly to the rotary type of washers. 
These motors require at least 25 pounds of 
water pressure to operate them success- 
fully. The motor is attached to the water 
faucet by a length of hose. One make is 
stated to use 240 gallons of water per hour. 
The motor alone costs about $12.00, and 
with the whole washing machine, from 
$15.00 to $18.00. 

A number of manufacturers supply 
washing machines operated by an electric 
motor. ‘The clothes wringer is also at- 
tached so that the clothes may be both 
washed and wrung by the machine. The 
“1900 Washer,” electrically operated, with 
wringer, costs $54.00 furnished with direct 
current motor, and $60.00 with alternating 


Driven 


current motor. The “Paragon”? Washer with electric motor for 
washing and wringing complete costs $60.00 for the direct current 


A Washing Device for the Wash Boiler 


outfit, and $75.00 with an alternating current motor. 


The “‘Para- 


gon” machine is made in larger size for hotels and institutions. 
We have tested the “Paragon” hand machine for the past six 
months and find that it does excellent work. More intelligence is 


33 


required to use a washing machine successfully than to scrub the 
clothes in the old way on a washboard. 

The method for washing white clothes with the kerosene or 
paraffine boil,is described in Chemistry of the Household, page 130. 
A sketch of the apparatus illustrated was given us by Professor 
Sheppard, of the University of Minnesota, author of Laundry 
Work. It fits in the bottom of the wash boiler and the formation of 
steam forces the water up the spouts, over and through the clothes. 
We have not had the apparatus made. A tinsmith stated that it 
would cost about $2.50 to make the apparatus. 


IRONING 


_ The old-fashioned flat iron with attached handle is gradually 
giving way to the “Potts” iron with detachable wooden handle. 


SPECIAL IRON HEATERS 
Made by the Kalamazoo Stove Co. Price, about $2.50 


These are heated on the stove or over the gas flame, like the older 
style flat iron. It is often convenient to have a small one-burner 
gas stove which may be placed at the side of the ironing table or 
ironing board. The Kalamazoo Stove Company makes a special 
heater for‘irons which may be attached to their gas ranges or is 
sold separately. it doubtless saves some gas. 


34 


Electric Irons 


More electric heated flat irons are used than any other electric 
household appliance. Those using them are very enthusiastic 
in their praise. It is stated that the ironing can be done in about 
half the ‘time ordinarily re- 
quired. As in all self-heated 
irons, the polishing surface is 
kept clean, and as the heat is 
supplied constantly, no time 
is lost in changing irons. — 

A’ six pound electric flat 
iron requires about 250 watts 
an hour (one-fourth a kilo- 
watt) when the electricity is on 
all the time. In ironing deli- 
cate pieces it is necessary to 
shut off the current to prevent 
the iron growing too hot. This 
can be done instantly with the 
electric iron and turned {on 
again instantly, which is the 
great advantage of electrically 
heated irons. One of our members reports that the use of the 
electric iron adds about $1.50 per month to the electric light bill 
and saves about 75 cents on the gas bill. This is in a family of 
five with two small children,with electricity at 13 cents a kilowatt 
hour, all the laundry work done at home. 


General Electric Company Flat Iron on 
Stand. Price, $3.50 to $5.00 


Gasoline and Alcohol Irons 


The advantage of the gasoline and alcohol self-heated iron is the 
same as the electric iron; no time is lost in changing irons and the 
heat can be regulated. | We have tested the Hawkes gasoline iron 
and find that it does excellent and rapid work, especially for large 
pieces. For fine work the iron is apt to become too hot. On a 
rough test, the cost of fuel with gasoline at 16 cents a gallon is about 
half that for accomplishing the same work with flat irons heated on 
the gas stove — gas at $1.00 per 1,000 cubic feet. It requires 
about five minutes to heat up the gas generating apparatus. ‘The 
Hawkes iron is also fitted so that aleohol may be used; in fact the 
manufacturers are now furnishing nearly all the irons with alcohol 


35 


burners, as they found that certain grades of gasoline gave trouble 
in burning. The small tank holding the gasoline or alcohol sup- 
ply is very strongly made, and we do not think the gasoline or 
alcohol iron is dangerous in intelligent hands. 

Alcohol irons work on the same principle as the gasoline iron, 
though they must have a differently constructed burner, because 


HAWKES’ GASOLINE OR ALCOHOL IRON 
Price, $5.00 


the alcohol must be burned more rapidly than gasoline to keep up 
the required temperature. An iron will burn a pint of alcohol in 
three to four hours and so costs two or three cents an hour to 
operate. ‘The small alcohol irons for pressing are convenient for 
small work. 


Gas Irons 


Large-size, self-heated gas irons are very commonly used by 
tailors for pressing, but not often used for the family ironing. Their 
disadvantage is the rubber tube for supplying the gas. If a light 
weight rubber tube is used, it is but little more inconvenient than 
the cord of ‘the electric iron. They are made with two polishing 
surfaces and arranged to turn so that first one and then the other 
side may be used. We have not tested this style of iron. They 
cost $4.00. ; 

Mangles 


The reason that flat work is so much cheaper than fancy laun- 
dry is that the ironing is done on the ironing machine or mangle, 
usually a hot mangle. 


36 


If the laundry work is not sent out, a mangle is a good invest- 
ment for a large household, boarding house, or institution. 

The cold mangles are less expensive than the gas heated mangles. 
The damp clothes are folded and passed through the rolls of the 
mangle under considerable pressure, once through for every fold. 
With a cold mangle the flat work must be dried afterwards. This 
is a slow process. We have known of napkins being furnished to 


ALCOHOL IRON, GERMAN DESIGN 
Sold by The Alcohol Utility Co., New York. Small size, $3.50; large size, $5.00 


the guests in hotels and boarding houses before they were quite 
dry! Itis stated that the cold mangle is easier on the cloth than the 
hot mangle or ironing. 

The hot mangles are heated either by gas, gasoline, or electricity. 
The clothes are finished as dry as in ordinary ironing, and in very 
much less time. Particularly good work can be done on table 
linen with a hot mangle, provided care is used. 

One disadvantage of the mangle, hot or cold, is that it takes 
two persons to operate the hand machine successfully. ‘The large 
machines are run by power. 


37 


GAS-HEATED ITRONING MACHINE 
Size, 37inches, Price, $40.00. With Electric Motor, $100 


4 : SMALL HEATED HAND MANGLE 
$1ze,24 nches. Price $22.00. Made by American Ironing Machine Co., Chicago 


SS aS = 


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Bg! a 


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My; ps 
Hi Wi, 
Ws Li Wea 
LY YL 


A COLD MANGLE 
Made by American Wringer Co. Price, $6.75 


A DRY ROOM 


A very great convenience, especially in the winter, is a dry room 
near the laundry. ‘This is easily arranged for in a new house, or 
sometimes in an old one. If furnace heat is available, one of the hot 
air pipes may be turned into the room. Provision must be made 
for an outlet, preferably near the bottom of the room. 

If steam or hot water system is used, a radiator can be placed in 
the dry room. If it is placed on the floor, the outlet should be 
high up on the opposite side and there should be an inlet near 
the radiator. 

The dry room makes the laundry work independent of rainy 
days and saves dangerous exposure in cold weather. 


39 


POWER}IN, THE, HOME 


The up-to-date home should have some sort of mechanical power 
available. When the house is wired for electricity, the small electric 
motors can be applied to all sorts of mechanical operations, and the 
power taken from any electric light socket. ‘The first cost of an 
electric motor is considerable, but the electric current for power is 
cheap and easily controlled. It only requires about the same 
amount of electric current to operate a ;!; horse-power motor as 
for a 16 candle-power incandescent lamp, i.e., 50 watts per hour. 


Electric Motors 


An electric motor applied to the sewing machine is a very great 
help, especially if much sewing is done. A ;!; horse-power motor 


**GENERAL ELECTRIC” SEWING MACHINE MOTOR 
AND ATTACHMENTS 


and attachment can be put on for about $10.00 with direct current, 
and $12.00 with alternating current. ‘The motor is started, stopped, 
and the speed regulated, by a touch of the foot on the treadle. 

A -}> horse-power motor for running a washing machine and 
the like costs about $25.00. It will use about 60 watts per hour. 
The local electric light company will give more definite figures. 

A motor with silver polishing buffer and grinding wheels costs 


40 


| $12.00. The electric fans are, of course, quite commonly used. 


There seems no reason why the buffing wheel might not replace 


the fan of the fan motor. 


Water Motors 


The rotary water motors are 
less expensive than electric 
motors but they cannot be 
operated successfully unless 
the water pressure is at least 
35 pounds per sq. inch. If the 
water is metered, the cost of 
running is usually higher than 
for an electric motor of the 
same power. A small water 
motor with}, polishing and 
grinding wheels costs $3.00, 
and a larger one for a wash- 
ing machine, $5.00. 


41 


ROTARY WATER MOTOR 


VACUUM CLEANING 


The up-to-date home of the future will, without doubt, be sup- 
plied with a pneumatic cleaning outfit. Perhaps vacuum pipes may 
be laid in the streets with a pipe leading to each house and branch 
pipes for each room. When the room is to be cleaned, it will be 
necessary only to attach a hose with a nozzle and turn a valve. On 
applying the nozzle to the rugs and furnishings, all dirt, dust, 
germs, and insect eggs will be sucked out and away! Be that as 


‘* INVINCIBLE” PORTABLE VACUUM CLEANER 


For Residences, Small Hotels, Clubs, Hospitals, ete. Made of Aluminum 
Weight, 115 lbs.; Price, $265 
it may, there are now on the market various vacuum cleaning 
apparatuses ranging in price from $15.00 for a hand device to 
$1,000 for individual equipment for a large house. 

We have investigated one or two of the low-priced machines, 
and hesitate to recommend them. ‘They are not sufficiently powerful 
to do much more than remove surface dirt. An electrically driven 
portable machine costing $265 does excellent work. The 
individual equipments for a house with a plant in the basement are 
thoroughly satisfactory. The plant is automatic in its action, it 


42 


being necessary only to open the valve to start the air pump working. 
Up to the present, a plant for a twenty-room house, installed with a 
pipe for each room, costs in the neighborhood of $1,000. One of 
the companies is planning to put on the market an installation 
which will cost about $500, for a twelve-room house. While even 
this is beyond the means of those in moderate circumstances, prices 
will undoubtedly be reduced somewhat as time goes on, so that all 
houses costing from $10,000 up will be equipped with vacuum 
cleaning plants. In the meantime we will continue to use the well 
established carpet sweeper. 

In a large household, the vacuum cleaning system is stated to 
do away with the services of one maid. If this is true, it would 
amount to a saving of approximately $250 a year, which would 
represent an Investment of $2,500 at 10 per cent. 


THE DUSTLESS DUSTER 


To come down to something that we can all afford, mention may 
be made of the Howard Dustless Dust Cloth. Price, a yard square, 
25 cents postpaid. It is simply a good grade of cheese cloth which 
has been treated with some substance which holds the dust.” We 
suspect that the oil-treatment is similar to that used in dyeing Turkey 
red on cotton. At any rate, the oily substance is fixed on the fiber 
so that the dust cloth may be washed in soap and water after being 
used and still holds its dust-retaining properties. The cloth is not 
“greasy” but gives'a good polish to wood-work, glass, ete. It 
may be used to advantage over a broom in sweeping walls and 


hardwood floors. 
A STOCKING DARNER 


The sewing machine manufacturers 
supply more appliances for the sewing 
machine than are generally used. Mrs. 
Maynard has invented one that re- 
duces the labor of darning. 

Darning table cloths and the like 
on a sewing machine with the help of 
an embroidery hoop is spoken of in 
Textiles and Clothing, page 158. The 
Dorcas Darner carries this quick 
| method of repair a step further by 
THE DORCAS SEWING enabling one to darn stockings on the 

Bre Snags Vase Salt sewing machine. The darner is simply 


43 


a metal ring with ,hooks on one edge and wires on the other. 
The darner is placed in the stocking with the hole in the center of 
the darner, the material caught on the hooks, so as to keep the 
goods tight around the hole, and the remainder of the stocking is 
held out of the way by the wires. 

A double-thread sewing machine must be used. ‘The presser- 
foot is taken off, the machine is threaded with fine thread, No. 
120, the darner with the stocking is placed under the needle, 
and stitching is done, backward and forward across the hole. A 
large hole can be darned very quickly in this way on the macnine 
and much time saved. Moreover, stockings so far gone that it 
would be a foolish waste of time to try to darn them by hand can be 
kept in commission with the help of the Dorcas Darner and the 
machine. ‘The darner is too large to be used well in the toes of 
thick stockings of small children. The price is 55 cents postpaid. 


THESJTUNGSTEN LAMP 


A recent development in electric lighting is an incandescent 
lamp having a filament of the oxides of tungsten, in place of the 
usual carbon filament. ‘They give much more light for the cur- 
rent used; a 32 candle-power tungsten lamp requires 40 watts 
per hour, while a 16 candle-power old style lamp takes 55 watts. 
A 20 candle-power tungsten lamp uses 25 watts. They can be 
used best in a vertical pendent position, and when the lights are 
turned on by a wall switch, for the filament is easily broken. The 
40-watt lamps cost about $1.00, and 25-watt lamps 75 cents. They 
have about the same “life” as a carbon filament lamp — 1,000 
lighting hours. Experiments are now being made on a new 
“helium” lamp, which may be even better than the tungsten lamp. 

With these high power lamps, it is customary to use globes of 
‘“Holophane”’ glass. These are prism shades and distribute the 
light where it is wanted. 


MISCELLANEOUS 


Many household appliances have not been mentioned, espe- 
cially small devices for the kitchen. See Household Management, 
page 105, and 195, and Principles of Cookery, page 161. Jtchen 
cabinets are too common to need more than a passing mention. 
They are especially useful in a large, poorly arranged kitchen. 
In prices they range from $10.00 to $40.00 or more. Some of the 


44 


larger kitchen cabinets seem to be overloaded with a multiplicity 
of cunning devices. 

We have been asked by a number of our members to name the 
best refrigerator. We don’t know. All the reputable manufac- 
turers make thoroughly good refrigerators. As to quality, you 
usually get what you pay for. 

We have had several inquiries for pastry bags used in cake deco- 
rating, for potato, mayonnaise, etc. These consist of a rubber bag 
with nozzles having various shaped openings. A set of twelve and 
the rubber bag costs $1.50; the bag alone 60 cents and the tubes 10 
to 15 cents each ‘Timbale irons cost about $1.00 each, and rosette 
irons 50 cents for a set of two. 

Mention might have been made of window cleaners, mop 
wringers, garbage incinerators, ash sifters, and so on indefinitely. 

Further details in regard to Household Appliances will be sent 
on request to members of the School, or to others if stamps are en- 
closed. If not obtainable locally, appliances may be obtained 
through the Purchasing Department of the School. 


BIBLIOGRAPHY 


The following books and pamphlets may be borrowed by members of the 
School, one at a time, if postage is sent with request. 


THE FIRELESS COOKER — How to Make It, How to Use It, What to 
Cook, by Lovewell et al. 210 pages, illustrated. Price, $1.00, postage 10ce. 
FIRELESS COOKERY. 10 lessons; Cook Book; 10 Menus; Time Card. 
By Mrs. S. C. Cody. Price, $1.00. Loaned 6 cents. 
MODERN CONVENIENCES FOR THE FARM HOME. Farmers’ 
Bulletin No. 270. Free of the Dept. of Agriculture, Washington, D. C. 
“POSSIBILITIES OF THE COUNTRY HOME,” etc., in Illinois Asso- 
ciation of Domestic Science Year Book, 1908, Mrs. H. A. McKeen, 
President, Springfield, Ill. 110 pages. Loaned +4 cents. 
‘“‘A MODEL KITCHEN” in Report of Missouri Housekeepers’ Confer- 
ence Association, 1908. University of Missouri, Columbia. Loaned 2c. 
‘SOME SUGGESTIONS FOR THE IMPROVEMENT OF FARM- 
HOMES” in Report of Farmers’ Institutes,’07 Raleigh, N. C. Loaned 2c. 
‘““THE ECONOMIES OF ELECTRIC COOKING” in Bulletin of Clark- 
son School of Technology. Loaned 4 cents. 
RELATIVE COST OF HOME COOKED AND PURCHASED FOOD, 
Massachusetts Labor Bulletin No. 19, 1901. Loaned 4 cents. 
INDUSTRIAL ALCOHOL; USES AND STATISTICS, Farmers’ Bul- 
letin No. 269. Free of the Department of Agriculture, Washington, D. C. 


45 


COMPARATIVE VALUES OF ALCOHOL AND GASOLINE FOR 
LIGHT AND POWER. Bulletin 93, Iowa State College, Ames, Iowa. 
24 pages, illustrated. Loaned 2 cents. 

DRAINAGE SYSTEM WITH CESSPOOL. Bulletin of New Hamp- 
shire Board of Health, Concord, N. H., illustrated. Loaned 2 cents. 
INDUSTRIAL ALCOHOL, articles in Harper’s Weekly, Oct. 3, 1908. 

Price 10 cents. Loaned 4 cents. 

BULLETINS OF THE HOUSEKEEPERS’ EXPERIMENT STATION. 
Nos. 1, 2, and 3, by Charles Barnard, Darien, Conn. Four pages each, 
price 30 cents. Loaned 2 cents. 
Note the ‘‘Experiment Station” Department in Good Housekeeping. 


ADVERTISING BOOKLETS. 
Send to the manufacturers !for!them. 


FIRELESS COOKERS: The ‘‘Cookerette” Co., ‘‘Hallock” Co., and 
**Caloric” Co.— all Grand Rapids, Mich.; ‘‘Chatham” Recipe Book, 
Mason Campbell Co., Detroit, Mich.; Republic Metal Ware Co., 
Buffalo, N. Y.; U.S. Fireless Cooker Co., Boston, Mass.; Seely Fireless 
Cooker Co., Chicago, Ill.; The Fireless Cooker Co., Chicago, etc., etc. 

STEAM COOKERS: The ‘‘Ideal’? Cook Book, Toledo Cooker Co., 
Toledo, O.; Culver Cooker Co., Harvey, II. 

ALCOHOL STOVES, etc.: Alcohol Utilities Co., 156 W. 23rd St., New 
York City; Manning, Bowman & Co., Meriden, Conn. 

ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES: General Electric Co., Schenectady, N. Y. 
Simplex Electric Heating Co., Chicago, Ill 

WASHING MACHINES. Paragon Mfg. Co., Chicago; ‘‘Syracuse Easy,” 
Rochester, N. Y.; ‘“The 1900”’ Washer, Binghamton, N. Y., etc. 

DISH WASHERS: Prince Mfg. Co., Chicago Ridge, Ill.; National Machine 
and Stamping Co., Detroit, Mich. 

MANGLES: American Ironing Machine Co., B.- Lake- St., Chicago; 
American Wringer Co., New York City; American Laundry Machine 
Co., W. 27th St:, New York City. 

KITCHEN UTENSILS: Bread Mixer, Choppers, etc., Landers, Frary & 
Clark, New Britain, Conn.; Enterprise Mfg. Co., Philadelphia, Pa. 

WATER SUPPLY: Kewanee Water Supply Co., Kewanee, Ill. 

VACUUM CLEANING: Electric Renovating and Mfg. Co., Pittsburgh, 
Pa. American Air Cleaning Co., Milwaukee, Wis.; General Com- 

pressed Air and Vacuum Machinery Co., St. Louis, Mo. 


46 


To Members of the A. 8S. H. E. 


Dear Friend: 


Here at last is the long-delayed Bulletin No. 11 on ‘‘Household Appli- 
ances.” Bulletin No. 10, giving the list of Books in our Circulating Library 
Department and so on, 1s also sent to those who have not received it before. 
We still have in print Bulletin 7, ‘‘The Profession of Home-Making’— 
Home-study Courses, No. 8, Club Study of Home Economies, No. 9, ‘‘Home 
Economics in Modern Education,” all of which have been sent to you. 


Please acknowledge receipt of this Bulletin, particularly if we have not 
heard from you for some time, so that we may know that we have the correct 
address. No future Bulletins will be sent to members from whom we have 
not heard for over two years, until we do hear from them. 

When you write, remember to send us the names of any acquaintances who 
may be interested in our School or the ‘‘Library of Home Economics.” This 
helps the School greatly. Names are never mentioned unless requested. 

And don’t forget that the ‘‘Library” makes a fine gift, and that members 
have the wholesale rate on the complete series or one or more volumes when 
they give them away. 


American Home Economics Association 


At the next meeting of the Lake Placid Conference on Home Economics 
to be held Dicorher Se 31 On Washington, D.C., this new Association will 
be formed. ere wil be a central body with local branches. A journal will 
probably be published. Full details of the Washington meeting will be given 
in the preliminary Bulletin. The price of the three preliminary Bulletins 
before the new organization gets out tts journal 1s 25 cents. Stamps may be 
sent to Mrs. Ellen H. Richards, Mass. Institute of Technology, Boston, or to 


the School. We hope a large proportion of our members will subscribe for 
. these preliminary Bulletins and later become members of the Association. 


National Aid to Home Economics 


The Davis Bill, spoken of in previous Bulletins, which proposes to give 
funds for_the encouragement of home economics and agriculture in rural high 
and normal schools and home economics and industrial aris in city high and 
normal schools, has received the cordial endorsement of President Roosevelt, 


47 


N01. 


- the National Education Association, the Lake Placid Conference on Home 
Economics, and a great many commercial organizations, manufacturers’ asso- 
ciattons, farmers’ organizations, labor unions, and so on. We doubt af the 
home-makers of our country have made their wishes known to any great 
extent to their congressmen and senators. 


| 


; 
/ 


Lf you belong to any organization, or if not, will you not get up a petition 
reading something as follows: 

“*To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the United 
States of America in Congress Assembled: 3 

“We, the undersigned, citizens of the state of...... ogee members 
ae hag Pn a na respectfully request that the Davis Bill, (H. R. 18204, 


= arr 


eae 
4 rien = 


Sixtieth Congress) for the encouragement of technical education, be immediately ~ 


enacted and put in force.” 


Put this at the head of a long sheet of paper and get as many signatures as 
possible with correct addresses. Send tt as soon as possible to your own Con- 
~gressman or to Representative Davis at Washington. Then write a personal 
note to your Congressman and to both of your Senaiors, urging the passage 
of the bill before March 4, 1909. 


As a prominent educator has said, ‘‘It will take a century to otherwise 
accomplish throughout the country what may be thoroughly established in five 
years by means of the assistance proposed im the Davis bill.” A copy of the 
bill and speeches in regard to it may be obtained jrom Congressman Davis, 
Washington, D. C., or will be sent from the School for 2 cents postage. 

The membership in our School is increasing slowly, now,being nearly 3,500. 
A good deal of interest seems to be manifested in our professional courses jor 
teachers, institution managers, social workers, and the like. A great many 
more colleges, normal, and high schools, have adopted some of our books as 
text-books. 


With the co-operation of our members we feel that the School will continue 
to increase in strength and usefulness. 


Sincerely yours, /) Sak 
GK | x 
Y fates 


48 


